Hopper latch



I 2 I I Aug 1927 w. H. MCCLELLAND HOPPER LATCH Filed June 2; 19 26 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IhUQU/Ol' I Mimi-1km Patented Aug. 23, 1927.

issasss UNITEns T rs PiAi'IiE-NT' onerous WILLIAM H. JMcGLELLAND,. or aromrmenoiv, PENNSY VANIA, Assienon no" DAVIS BRICK.MACHINERYCOMPANY, orsMouNrUNIoN.rnNNsYLvAN A.

' HOPPER QLATQH,

Application filed-lune 2,

My invention relates to improvements, in brick making machines and is more partizcus larly directed to means employedtherein for depositing green mud,fromwhich the brick is formed, into molds as "they are moved toward the'baking furnace, or to their discharge positions. The subject matter of this application is directed to means for holding movable doors ofthe'hopper in a. closed position, the hopper being broadly claimed in-my co-pending application filed June 2, 1926 andbearingberial -No. ,11a279.

It is the object of the present invention to provide means for holding the movable doors of a! hopper'in a closed position against the pressure exerted'thereupon by the contents of the hopper. i

A further object of my invention is-to provide a hopper having a movable bottom composed of two parts, each of which carries an element cooperating with a common element for holding the bottom in a closed position.

Still another object of my invention is to provide electrically operated means for holding the movable bottom of a hopper in a closed position, said means being operated by certain moving. parts of the machine proper.

lVith the above and other objects in View, the nature of which will be more fully understood from the description hereinafter, my invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts which will be more fully hereinafter set forth and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a part of a brick making machine, the same having mounted thereupon hoppers provided with movable bottoms and which are held closed by certain electrically operated elements.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail view illustrating a portion of a. hopper bottom with the means for holding the bottom in a closed position.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view showing a side elevation of Figure 2, and

Figure -f is a perspective view showing in detail the electrically operated means for controlling the latch mechanism.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in detail, wherein like reference characters {denote the cor-responding parts throughout; the several views, the numeral 1 indicates, in general, the frame-"of ai-brick 'makmgmachlne, the same-having mounted therein my improved-hoppers and the :oper- T 'at-ingmeans there-for, allof which are more specifically set forth'in my copendingap-plication hereinabove mentioned. 7 7

Briefly sumn' ari'zing the structure of the hopper and 'itsoperating element, the frame 2,, and upon each side ofthe hopper flare shafts t and 5, each of which 18 provided with intermeshmg gears-fiend 7 secured upon one end. Secured to the other vcnd sof theshaft 4 isan arm-8,,the1 free end of which I 'has connected thereto a pitmanu9-which is moved up anddown by a rotatingcam .10 secured toa driven shafts 11. I l

The shafts 4 and 5 have loosely. mounted thereon arms 12, the free ends of which are bent under the bottom of the hopper 3 and have secured thereto plates 13 which form the bottom of the hopper 3. Fixed to the shafts l and 5 are arms 14 which are adapted to engage the rear edges of the plates 13 and swing them to a closing position during the oscillation of the shafts 4 and 5. WVhen the plates 18 are movedto approximately their closed position, the

latch mechanism which is considered the salient point of this invention, then operates and holds the two plates in such a position that the passage of material through the hopper 3 is prevented.

As disclosed in Figures 2 and 3, the latch mechanism includes a suitable solenoid 15 having pole pieces 16 and 1 7. This solenoid. is connected to the end plate of the hopper in suitable bearings carried the side: bars are bridged by a rotating contact plate 23 secured to the shaft 11 upon which the cam 10 is mounted. v

Having thus fully described my lnvention, it will be apparent that uponrotation of the cam, the armsIQwill be movedto a position which will permit the plates 13 to swing outwardly from under theb'ottom' of the hopper 3 by the action thereupon of springsQ l upon the opening of the electrical circuit, at Which time the material contained within the hopper will be permitted to pass freely therefrom and drop within suitable molds carried upon a conveyor.. Furthermore, it will be noticed that the magnets control the movement of operation of the bottom, that is, they insure the movement of'the bottom sections together. Upon a continuedirotation of the cam 10 the arms 14 will move backwardly thus engaging the rear edges of the plates 13 moving them to a closing position and at which time the electrical circuit including the solenoid 15 I twill be completed and by reason or" the arma- 25 closed position.

i From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation and many advantages oi the herein described invention will be apparent to those skilled in theart, without furtherdescription, and itwillbe understood that various changesfin thesize, shape, proportion and minor details oi construction 'maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the lnventlon.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim 'asnew, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A hopper of the class described having a bottom composed of two sections adapted to move one away from the other, means for moving said sectionswto a closing position, a magnet supported by said hopper and adapted to be engaged by armatures carried by each or said sections, and means controlled by the first said means for energizing said magnet to hold the sections in'a 2. A hopper of the class described having a bottom composed oi two sections, means .for moving the bottom to a'closed position, magnet fixed with respect to said hopper and adapted to be engaged by armatures carried by each or said bottom sections, and sa d magnetadapted to be energized upon the operation of the first said means.

v In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

WILLIAM McOLELLAND. 

